Equity in the Arts Grant Program

ℹ️ ArtsBuild, with support from the ℹ️ Benwood Foundation, has created a new Equity in the Arts grant program to support projects led by local Black and Latino artists. Grants up to $10,000 were awarded to eight individual artists and organizations. The goals for the new grant program are to help build the careers of local Black and Latino artists, increase sustainability of cultural organizations that focus on Black and Latino arts, build community awareness of Black and Latino arts within Hamilton County, and to support collaborations between Black and Latino artists and other arts organizations within the community.

New upscale developments like Hill Pointe are emerging in Red Bank.The public is invited to a reception for all of the Equity in the Arts grant recipients on Tuesday, May 23 from 5:00pm–6:30pm at ArtsBuild, 301 E 11th St #300. Each recipient will have an opportunity to share his/her project at the reception. Guests can enjoy beverages, light hors d‘oeuvres, and music from local DJ Tryezz. Admission is free. RSVP HERE.

NABIL INCE AKA “SEAUX CHILL:” R&B Musician, Producer and PoetGrant Project: “Freedom Ave.” Album Release Listening Party and Live Concert
Seaux Chill just released a new album, “Freedom Ave.,” on March 25, 2017. On March 24, he held a listening party at the ℹ️ Edney Innovation Center, which included visual elements to go along with every song and an interactive art space designed to engage listeners of all ages to become active participants in creating while listening. On September 7, 2017, Seaux Chill will hold a live concert for “Freedom Ave.” at the Camp House (149 E ML King Blvd), which is an opportunity for the community to experience a performance of “Freedom Ave.” with a live band. The concert will feature the students from East Lake Expression Engine along with other local artists.

CREATIVE DISCOVERY MUSEUMGrant Project: Artist-in-Residency Program
The ℹ️ Creative Discovery Museum is creating an Artist-In-Residency Program as a part of a larger initiative to expand on-going art activities and provide new opportunities to expose Museum guests to a wider assortment of art forms not currently presented in the Museum art exhibits. The CDM will contract three individual artists for eight to twelve week residencies that will take place this summer and continue through December 2017. Each artist will be on-site to work with Museum guests in creating artwork for the Museum and artwork to take home. The residency program will feature visual arts and music, including drawing, jewelry making and steel pan instruments. Artists and residencies include: Isela Arredondo, Josiah Golson and Randy Peterson.

AVA: ASSOCIATION FOR VISUAL ARTSGrant Project: HUghES & Views: A Salon
The HUghES & Views Salon will utilize the newly renovated front gallery of ℹ️ AVA (30 Frazier Ave) for performances and discussions led by talented local Black and Latino musicians, visual artists, dancers and poets. It will not only entertain its audience and participants, but more importantly, it will seek to refine the taste and increase the knowledge of Black and Latino art for artists, non-artists, and particularly those of other cultures and ethnic backgrounds and traditions. Many of the participating artists will explain, and in some cases demonstrate their artistry and discuss the motivation behind the creation of their artwork. Held on the third Thursday of every month during May-November, 2017 from 6:00-8:00pm.

LUCID TALES PRODUCTIONS: Chattanooga Based Entertainment CompanyGrant Project: The Power Piece
Lucid Tales will present a social justice short play, Unity, featuring local artists who study acting, singing, poetry and dance. This is the first showcase in a series of stage productions known as Power Pieces. Each Power Piece will deal with issues facing the community. There will be a catered “meet and greet” after the show. May 20, 2017; doors at 7:00pm; showtime at 7:30pm; Chattanooga State Humanities Building – Auditorium.

CHARLIE AND IANTHA NEWTON: Artists; Founders of SPLASH Youth Arts WorkshopGrant Project: A Shared Diversity
A Shared Diversity will explore the different meanings, possibilities and potentialities of diversity via the creation of a large installation of two dimensional artworks created in collaboration with husband and wife, Charlie and Iantha Newton. Their artwork will be displayed in diverse and unconventional venues in Chattanooga in order to reach a broader audience for Black art. 1) Exhibition at AVA (July 3-29, 2017); Reception on July 7, 2017 at 5:30pm; Gallery Talk on July 13, 2017 at 6:00pm; 2) Exhibition at City Hall (Sept 4–Nov 3, 2017); Reception TBA; 3) Exhibition at the North River Civic Center (Jan 1–March 30, 2018); Reception on January 12, 2018 at 5:00pm; 4) Exhibition at the Chattanooga Theatre Center (Dates TBA).

PABLO MAZARIEGOS: Marriage and Family Therapist; Documentary Film ProducerGrant Project: Resilencia – First Generation Latin Women
The documentary Resilencia will introduce the people of Chattanooga to two, first generation, local Latina women’s journeys of resilience and how they are adding value to our local communities. The debut screening will take place at the Camp House (149 E ML King Blvd) followed by a post-movie discussion; Latin food will be served; exact day and time TBA. Multiple screenings will be shown during National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15, 2017); exact days and times TBA.

For more information, visit http://bit.ly/ArtsBuild_EIA for a full description of the artists and organizations and schedule of events.

This grant program is sponsored by the Benwood Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the people and projects that make Chattanooga a great city.